但以理书 4
1 尼布甲尼撒王晓谕住在全地各方,各国,各族的人说,愿你们大享平安。
King Nebuchadnezzar, To the peoples, nations and men of every language, who live in all the world: May you prosper greatly!
2 我乐意将至高的神向我所行的神迹奇事宣扬出来。
It is my pleasure to tell you about the miraculous signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed for me.
3 他的神迹何其大。他的奇事何其盛。他的国是永远的。他的权柄存到万代。
How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an eternal kingdom; his dominion endures from generation to generation.
4 我尼布甲尼撒安居在宫中,平顺在殿内。
I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at home in my palace, contented and prosperous.
5 我作了一梦,使我惧怕。我在床上的思念,并脑中的异象,使我惊惶。
I had a dream that made me afraid. As I was lying in my bed, the images and visions that passed through my mind terrified me.
6 所以我降旨召巴比伦的一切哲士到我面前,叫他们把梦的讲解告诉我。
So I commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be brought before me to interpret the dream for me.
7 于是那些术士,用法术的,迦勒底人,观兆的都进来,我将那梦告诉了他们,他们却不能把梦的讲解告诉我。
When the magicians, enchanters, astrologers and diviners came, I told them the dream, but they could not interpret it for me.
8 末后那照我神的名,称为伯提沙撒的但以理来到我面前,他里头有圣神的灵,我将梦告诉他说,
Finally, Daniel came into my presence and I told him the dream. (He is called Belteshazzar, after the name of my god, and the spirit of the holy gods is in him.)
9 术士的领袖伯提沙撒阿,因我知道你里头有圣神的灵,什么奥秘的事都不能使你为难。现在要把我梦中所见的异象和梦的讲解告诉我。
I said, "Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you, and no mystery is too difficult for you. Here is my dream; interpret it for me.
10 我在床上脑中的异象是这样,我看见地当中有一棵树,极其高大。
These are the visions I saw while lying in my bed: I looked, and there before me stood a tree in the middle of the land. Its height was enormous.
11 那树渐长,而且坚固,高得顶天,从地极都能看见,
The tree grew large and strong and its top touched the sky; it was visible to the ends of the earth.
12 叶子华美,果子甚多,可作众生的食物。田野的走兽卧在荫下,天空的飞鸟宿在枝上。凡有血气的都从这树得食。
Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit abundant, and on it was food for all. Under it the beasts of the field found shelter, and the birds of the air lived in its branches; from it every creature was fed.
13 我在床上脑中的异象,见有一位守望的圣者从天而降。
"In the visions I saw while lying in my bed, I looked, and there before me was a messenger, a holy one, coming down from heaven.
14 大声呼叫说,伐倒这树。砍下枝子。摇掉叶子。抛散果子。使走兽离开树下,飞鸟躲开树枝。
He called in a loud voice: 'Cut down the tree and trim off its branches; strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the animals flee from under it and the birds from its branches.
15 树墩却要留在地内,用铁圈和铜圈箍住,在田野的青草中让天露滴湿,使他与地上的兽一同吃草,
But let the stump and its roots, bound with iron and bronze, remain in the ground, in the grass of the field. "'Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let him live with the animals among the plants of the earth.
16 使他的心改变,不如人心。给他一个兽心,使他经过七期(期或作年。本章同)。
Let his mind be changed from that of a man and let him be given the mind of an animal, till seven times pass by for him.
17 这是守望者所发的命,圣者所出的令,好叫世人知道至高者在人的国中掌权,要将国赐与谁就赐与谁,或立极卑微的人执掌国权。
"'The decision is announced by messengers, the holy ones declare the verdict, so that the living may know that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes and sets over them the lowliest of men.'
18 这是我尼布甲尼撒王所作的梦。伯提沙撒阿,你要说明这梦的讲解。因为我国中的一切哲士都不能将梦的讲解告诉我,惟独你能,因你里头有圣神的灵。
"This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, had. Now, Belteshazzar, tell me what it means, for none of the wise men in my kingdom can interpret it for me. But you can, because the spirit of the holy gods is in you."
19 于是称为伯提沙撒的但以理惊讶片时,心意惊惶。王说,伯提沙撒阿,不要因梦和梦的讲解惊惶。伯提沙撒回答说,我主阿,愿这梦归与恨恶你的人,讲解归与你的敌人。
Then Daniel (also called Belteshazzar) was greatly perplexed for a time, and his thoughts terrified him. So the king said, "Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its meaning alarm you." Belteshazzar answered, "My lord, if only the dream applied to your enemies and its meaning to your adversaries!
20 你所见的树渐长,而且坚固,高得顶天,从地极都能看见。
The tree you saw, which grew large and strong, with its top touching the sky, visible to the whole earth,
21 叶子华美,果子甚多,可作众生的食物。田野的走兽住在其下。天空的飞鸟宿在枝上。
with beautiful leaves and abundant fruit, providing food for all, giving shelter to the beasts of the field, and having nesting places in its branches for the birds of the air--
22 王阿,这渐长又坚固的树就是你。你的威势渐长及天,你的权柄管到地极。
you, O king, are that tree! You have become great and strong; your greatness has grown until it reaches the sky, and your dominion extends to distant parts of the earth.
23 王既看见一位守望的圣者从天而降,说,将这树砍伐毁坏,树墩却要留在地内,用铁圈和铜圈箍住。在田野的青草中,让天露滴湿,使他与地上的兽一同吃草,直到经过七期。
"You, O king, saw a messenger, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, 'Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump, bound with iron and bronze, in the grass of the field, while its roots remain in the ground. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven; let him live like the wild animals, until seven times pass by for him.'
24 王阿,讲解就是这样,临到我主我王的事是出于至高者的命。
"This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree the Most High has issued against my lord the king:
25 你必被赶出离开世人,与野地的兽同居,吃草如牛,被天露滴湿,且要经过七期。等你知道至高者在人的国中掌权,要将国赐与谁就赐与谁。
You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like cattle and be drenched with the dew of heaven. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes.
26 守望者既吩咐存留树墩,等你知道诸天掌权,以后你的国必定归你。
The command to leave the stump of the tree with its roots means that your kingdom will be restored to you when you acknowledge that Heaven rules.
27 王阿,求你悦纳我的谏言,以施行公义断绝罪过,以怜悯穷人除掉罪孽,或者你的平安可以延长。
Therefore, O king, be pleased to accept my advice: Renounce your sins by doing what is right, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed. It may be that then your prosperity will continue."
28 这事都临到尼布甲尼撒王。
All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar.
29 过了十二个月,他游行在巴比伦王宫里(原文作上)。
Twelve months later, as the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon,
30 他说,这大巴比伦不是我用大能大力建为京都,要显我威严的荣耀吗?
he said, "Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?"
31 这话在王口中尚未说完,有声音从天降下,说,尼布甲尼撒王阿,有话对你说,你的国位离开你了。
The words were still on his lips when a voice came from heaven, "This is what is decreed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar: Your royal authority has been taken from you.
32 你必被赶出离开世人,与野地的兽同居,吃草如牛,且要经过七期。等你知道至高者在人的国中掌权,要将国赐与谁就赐与谁。
You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like cattle. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes."
33 当时这话就应验在尼布甲尼撒的身上,他被赶出离开世人,吃草如牛,身被天露滴湿,头发长长,好像鹰毛。指甲长长,如同鸟爪。
Immediately what had been said about Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from people and ate grass like cattle. His body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird.
34 日子满足,我尼布甲尼撒举目望天,我的聪明复归于我,我便称颂至高者,赞美尊敬活到永远的神。他的权柄是永有的。他的国存到万代。
At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever. His dominion is an eternal dominion; his kingdom endures from generation to generation.
35 世上所有的居民都算为虚无。在天上的万军和世上的居民中,他都凭自己的意旨行事。无人能拦住他手,或问他说,你做什么呢?
All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: "What have you done?"
36 那时,我的聪明复归于我,为我国的荣耀,威严,和光耀也都复归于我。并且我的谋士和大臣也来朝见我。我又得坚立在国位上,至大的权柄加增于我。
At the same time that my sanity was restored, my honor and splendor were returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my throne and became even greater than before.
37 现在我尼布甲尼撒赞美,尊崇,恭敬天上的王。因为他所作的全都诚实,他所行的也都公平。那行动骄傲的,他能降为卑。
Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble.